1993 Volume 50 Issue 12 Pages 963-967
Deformation of poly (3-butylthiophene) gel under electric fields was studied. Poly (3-butylthiophene) gel was prepared by the electrochemical copolymerization of 3-butylthiophene and 1, 8-di (3-thienyl) octane. Poly (3-buty1) -thiophene gel was shrunken in THF solution of Bu4NCl44 by applying dc electric fields. A change of color from orange to blue was also observed during the shrinking deformation. When the polarity of the applied field was changed, the gel returned to its initial volume and color. The electric-field-associated deformation occurred through electrical interactions between thiophene rings in the gel and ClO4- as a dopant.
